COVID-19:VIOLATORS OF RESTRICTION ORDERS RISK JAIL TERM IN NIGER STATE, AS CIVIL SERVANTS ON GL. 1 – 12 DIRECTED TO RESUME WORK IMMEDIATELY

Persons who fail to comply with the restriction of movement and other
prohibition order imposed by the Niger State Government shall be liable
to a fine or imprisonment or both in accordance with the extant laws.

Disclosing this at a Media briefing, Secretary to the State Government,
SSG and Chairman State Action Committe on COVID-19, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane
said the new measure became necessary following the gross disrespect for
the appeals and directives on social distancing and social gatherings by
the people as the only precautionary measures against the spread of
Coronavirus.

According to the Committee Chairman, it became imperative to go beyond
appeals and directives to contain the spread of the highly infectious
disease in order to avoid an impending health and economic calamity of
unimaginable proportion in the State.

Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane said the Governor decided to invoke the
Niger State COVID-19 Order 2020, conferred on him by all the relevant
portions of the law and the Constitution for the collective good,
safety, security and public health of the people.

According to the SSG, the State Government has relaxed the restriction
of movement imposed in the State from 2:00pm to 10.00pm beginning from
Sunday, 5th April, 2020.

Markets are now to open from 8:00am to 2:00pm to enable people buy food
stuff and other essentials while the intra and inter State movement of
people and vehicles remain banned.

He announced that the State Civil Servants on Grade Level 1 – 12,
earlier directed to stay at home as part of measures to curb the spread
of the disease, are now to resume work on Monday, 6th April, 2020, from
8.00am to 2.00pm.

Meanwhile, all Local Government Areas sharing border with neighbouring
States have been directed to ensure effective monitoring of people and
vehicles coming into the local government as all entry points to the
State remain closed except those on essential services.

While debunking insinuations going round that the State government has
banned ‘call to Prayers’, the Secretary to the State Government advised
the people to shun rumour mongering, adding that the State is yet to